Yeah, I know. It's been a while. I was working through a case of major writer's block, but I think I'm past that now. In the meantime, I've been working on a couple of my drawings and reading some books that are WAY overdue as of last week. I owe four and a half buck to the library for them and a few others over the past months.
Quote: "There is nothing funny about Halloween. This sarcastic festival reflects, rather, an infernal demand for revenge by children on the adult world." -- Jean Baudrillard
School is going to start next week, and frankly, I'm not ready. I hate all the classes and they don't even have Choir anymore so it sucks big time. All my friends graduated last year, and my time will be spent on homework. Until my mom loads Microsoft Word into her computer and mine, I'm gonna have trouble posting these. Sorry!
Disclaimer: I still don't own POTC… I almost had it, but that mouse is pretty damn strong and I just couldn't pry them from his gloved fingers.
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Chapter 4: A Day on the Town
Rhia looked up at her ceiling as a feeling of slight despair washed over her. 'I thought he told me everything.' She thought, closing her eyes. 'What would he ever keep from me?' Rhia focused once more on the man next door. Rhia had imagined him as a prince, an outlaw, a tradesman, but she hadn't even considered him a pirate. 'Fascinating' was the only word she could use to describe it. In fact, she found herself using that word to describe not only his lifestyle, but also his eyes.
A loud knock at the door brought Rhia from her reverie, and she swiveled her head to the door. "Yes?"
The door opened and her father walked in and closed the door behind him. "Just because he's awoken doesn't mean you don't have errands to do."
"… Refresh my memory on what I am to do again."
Evan sighed and held out 3 fingers. "1… I need you to feed all the horses back at the stables."
Rhia groaned and sat up. 'Wonderful. I will have the splendor of running into Jake.'
Evan ticked off another finger. "2… We need more food, especially since we have a visitor."
"How long is he staying?" Rhia interrupted.
Evan shrugged. "Most likely until he regains his memory. 3… Check the messenger's office to see if we are to expect anyone riding into town."
"…How long does it take for one to regain one's own memories?" Rhia asked.
"It depends, Rhia." Evan answered, annoyed that her daughter wasn't paying attention to anything else.
"On what?"
Evan groaned. "Honestly, I don't know. But we're going to have to keep him in the house until then. We can't have anyone here know that we're housing a pirate. If word gets out…"
"I understand. But keeping him stocked up in his room won't help our situation at all." Rhia stated matter-of-factly.
"I'm afraid I don't follow you."
"Well," Rhia began. "Wouldn't the slightest thing be able to bring back his memories?" Rhia didn't let her father answer. "Keeping him in the house would prevent that, making him stay with us longer than is actually needed. If he were around everyday tasks and such, one small thing might make him remember, and therefore, he would be out of our hands quickly."
Evan couldn't hide the surprise he had for his daughter. "I suppose that's true."
"So, should I take him with me to do these things you've asked?" Rhia commended herself. 'A very impressing argument if I do say so myself.'
"I'm not so sure, Rhia. What if someone found out?"
"How could anyone find out?" She asked, standing up. "You only knew him from that tattoo. Only those associated with the navy could've known that, and you're the only one who's been commodore and I don't believe anyone here even has the capacity to believe that a pirate found it's way here of all places."
Evan grimaced inwardly. 'Damn it. I hate it when she's almost right… No one would know from a damn tattoo, but I can't risk anyone seeing that burn mark, especially not her…' "But Rhia…"
"Father." Rhia answered. "He could be here for months, maybe even years if we don't let him out around other people."
"I know…" Evan searched his mind for anything that would prevent it. "I…" He gave up. "Fine. You're right. It would help beyond what we can do here. Just to be on the safe side though, don't let him reveal that tattoo to anyone. We can't chance it."
Rhia smiled triumphantly. "Of course."
Evan grinned while she hastily put on her boots. 'So much like her mother. She preferred boots to heels and she could bend my mind to fit her needs.' Evan walked out of the room to tell Jack of Rhia's idea.
Rhia couldn't be any more ecstatic. 'An outing with a pirate! This is so exciting! Maybe Jake'll back off this time… Or he'll embarrass me in front of Jack… Maybe this isn't such a great idea…'
"Rhia, come out to the kitchen." Evan called.
Rhia hurried to finish pulling up her boots and she walked into the kitchen. Jack was standing with her father wearing Stan's old clothing. He looked completely normal, save for the fact he was wearing long sleeves on one of the warmest days they'd had this summer.
"'Ello again." He said in a husky greeting.
"Listen up." Her father said, getting the attention of them both quickly. "Remember the story." He pointed at Jack. "Cousin. From Ravenswood. Your name is…"
"'Ow about Gibbs?" Jack asked.
"Where'd you come up with that?" Rhia asked. 'Maybe he's remembered something.'
Jack thought really hard. "I don't know. Think I must've made it up."
'… Or not.' She thought again.
"Well, It doesn't sound much like a real name anyway." Evan said. "Want to try a different one?"
"Well… How about…" He thought really hard. "It needs to sound like a real name?" Evan nodded. 'Well, Cotton's outta the picture… Something really normal…' Jack snapped his fingers. "Okay! How about William Turner?"
Rhia nodded. "It sounds typical enough for me."
Evan agreed. "No one can see that bur- I mean tattoo of yours, okay?"
"No problem." He itched vaguely at the sleeves.
Evan turned back to his daughter. "Keep him out of trouble."
"Right." Rhia kissed her father on the cheek and walked out the door and Jack followed in step. Evan watched from the window as the disappeared into the forest.
"What are we off to do, luv?" Jack asked.
"Not a lot. Just small chores."
Jack nodded. "I need to tell you somethin'… I actually already know what we're doing… I heard you an' your father talking in the other room."
"You mean my bedroom?"
"Yeah, that's it." Jack stumbled lightly over a stick that was slightly protruding from the ground.
"How could you have heard anything unless you had your ear to the door? Those doors are pretty thick." Jack looked down in embarrassment. "That's fine. I can't blame you."
Jack looked up in astonishment. "But I was invadin' your privacy."
She didn't feel angry towards him at all. "You woke up in a house you don't know, with people you don't know, and temporarily, you don't even know yourself." Rhia reasoned, stepping over a large log. "I don't blame you for trying to get to know all you could, even if it means you resorting to eavesdropping to make sure we weren't going to sacrifice you to some false god."
Jack grinned. "How understandin' of you."
"I try."
Jack began to hum a tune he'd had stuck in his head for a while. It made him feel a bit lighter on his feet and smile a bit brighter. Rhia cocked her head slightly and tried to remember where she had heard it before. It sounded so familiar, yet…
"Is that it?" Jack asked suddenly, pointing to a break in the trees, which showed the stables. It was situated between a small barn used only for storing hay, and Jake worked right next door.
Rhia led Jack to the barn in back and had him carry the hay to the stables for her as she watched smirking. "Why exactly am I doing this?" He asked while putting the hay down outside the stable.
"Because you listened in on my personal conversation and I'll tell my dad you did if you don't do as I say." Rhia couldn't hold in a laugh as Jack widened his eyes in horror. "No! I'm just kidding. You heard what I said in that room, so you know that any little thing could jog your memory."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Right. You're just afraid to get your hands dirty, like the little lady you are."
"I am not!" Rhia seemed offended. "I just-."
"Yeah, sure. You just sit there an' let the man do the work." Jack said while separating the hay.
Rhia huffed. She went over to Jack and began feeding the horses. Jack smirked behind her back and thought, 'Classic move.'
After the horses were well fed, Rhia led the way out of the stable and into town. Before she could reach the safety of the inhabited market, a voice called out her name and it made her wince. She began to walk a little faster and the voice called again. Jack pulled at her arm. "Someone's tryin' to talk to you."
Rhia turned on him with anger, but luckily, Jake caught up to receive her fury. "Didn't you hear me, honey?" He asked while grabbing her around the waist. Jack arched his eyebrows in slight surprise and hid it quickly with a polite smile.
When all Rhia could do was glare, Jack piped in. "She's been a bit 'ard of 'earing lately."
Jake eyed the stranger with curiosity. "And, you are?"
"His name is Ja-."
"It's Will Turner." Jack interrupted. He gave Rhia a warning look.
'Oops.' She thought. "He's my cousin." She added to cover her mistake.
Jake smiled. "Family!" He took Jack's hand and let his hand fall from Rhia's waist. "I'm Jake."
"I'm just passing through town." Jack added. 'He called her honey… She looks less than pleased though…' "So… Are you two…"
"You mean, is one stalking the other until violence must be released? Unfortunately I have been forbidden from drawing blood by my father."
Jake only smiled. "Such a kidder."
Jack nodded slowly. 'Bit obsessive I'm guessing… Or just slow…'
Rhia felt like hitting something. After counting backwards from ten, she said, "Jake, we need to go. And it looks like you have a customer."
Jake turned his head in the direction and Rhia pulled Jack and went into a full out sprint. She pulled Jack behind a small corner and watched Jake look around like an idiot. After scratching his head a moment, he went into the barn to look for them. Rhia led Jack away from the corner and through the arch that lead to the market.
Jack couldn't remain quiet for long. "So… He seems nice." He joked.
Rhia shot him a look that was burning with fury. Jack took the hint and joked no more on the subject. Rhia went to two shops and had Jack carry all the packages of food as punishment for his quip on the way to check for any messages from abroad. She pulled out the large bag that held all the letters and looked for 'Williamson'. Jack watched in awe. "Does everyone go through that?"
"Yes." Rhia answered.
"Doesn't anyone steal the letters?" Jack asked.
"Not usually. We're all pretty respectful here."
Jack just shook his head in disbelief. Rhia laughed heartily and let all thoughts of Jake hide away in a distant corner of her mind. She sifted through the bag and pulled out two letters. Both addressed to her father. 'Just as well. I don't know anybody who lives far enough away to send letters to me.'
Rhia grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him back towards the woods. "Well," He said, breaking the silence. "I had fun." Rhia looked at him and laughed. He had a piece of hay in his hair, more of it on his pants, and he was carrying two large bundles of food.
"Let me take one of those." Rhia said, holding out her arms.
"I think I 'ave a good hold on them. Besides, you are holdin' two things as am I, so we're even." Jack reasoned in her favor.
"If you insist." Rhia said, looking down at the wax sealed letters in her hand. One was lightweight and had blood red simple writing with a wax seal of a four-leaf clover, and the other was of thick material and had bluish black fancy writing. The wax was formed in the shape of some bird.
Rhia led Jack through a more worn part of the woods so that he wouldn't trip. She dictated when to step over a stick and warned him of low-lying branches before they hit him. When the woods cleared, she walked up to the house and opened the door for him. "Father! We've returned!"
Jack dropped the bundles on the table and began helping put things away. Evan walked in and grabbed the letters from Rhia's hands. He read the one on top first, the one with the red writing. His eyes went to the bottom of the letter first, as was habit for him to know who sent it before he read it. He returned to the beginning of the letter and murmured incoherently as he read. "Ha!" He said as he finished and smacked it down on the table.
"Good news?" Rhia asked hopefully.
"I should say so!" Evan grinned. "Rhia, a large traveling group will be through here soon, and all of them have horses!"
Jack frowned. "That just means more work for ye, doesn't it?"
"And more money to pay for essentials." Evan added. He looked at the second letter and opened it quickly. Nothing could offset his mood at this point… Or so he thought. When he read the sender's name, his face fell and he had to sit down to steady himself. 'Oh no. Not now… They shouldn't even remember that sort of thing… 25 damn years ago…'
Rhia became worried. Nothing usually upset him when he knew money would be coming in. "What's wrong?"
Evan looked up at his daughter and she saw fear like nothing she had ever seen before in his eyes. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.
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I must say this is one of the best cliffhangers I've ever done! Yippee! And, I wrote a lot more than usual. Let's just say writer's block is not much of a problem anymore.
I love cats, dogs, and boa constrictors. If I had to choose one, I'd say boa constrictor, because I'm not allergic to them. My Science teacher had one that was huge. It was so cute! I wanted to take him home… The snake, not the teacher…
QUESTION FOR REVIEWERS: What is one thing you do to relax?
FalconWing – Much revealing with the next chapter. Lot o' drama.
ProudMuggleGirl – It is. My dad said I could visit on Saturday, by the way. I hope the trip wasn't TOO eventful.
Rachel Sparrow – Haha oops. I'm sorry you're gonna have to wait a bit longer, though I hinted at it a bit.
untouchable1400 – Thank you so muchy much. I've been lazy lately and I hope this one is okay too.
Terriah – What does that mean? Reveal to me the secrets of your lingo.
Blackcharityflint – Yay! It's a very difficult decision I suppose.
Morgan Martin-Jordan – I'm thinking a brawl will do nicely… Or just the opposite? I haven't made up my mind. With my other fanfic, I had thought out the entire plot, but with this one I'm just moving with the flow.
Terradaina – My mom just got a dog. He's a cocker spaniel and his name is Winston. My mom says its after Winston Churchill, but I highly doubt that. I think it's after the cigarettes. Anyhoo, we call him Winnie, So he's Winnie the Pooch.
MereAngel – Soon is not currently in my vocabulary sadly. It might be once school starts and I'm all revved, (yeah, right.) but not this week.
Okay y'all, everyone needs to review. Need to. Now. I mean it. No more warnings. If you don't, I'll tell my mommy!